January 2011 Learners Online

Editor’s Note...............................................................................2
Secondary Curriculum
SCIENCE
The Big Bang & Beyond .................................................................. 3
MATHEMATICS
Exploring the Pythagorean Theorem................................................ 8
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Revisiting the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. .................................... 12
SOCIAL STUDIES
The Greco-Persian Wars .............................................................. 17
Elementary Curriculum
SCIENCE
The Night Sky .............................................................................. 21
MATHEMATICS
Engaging the Accelerated Learner................................................. 27
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Common Core Standards: Writing, Listening, and Speaking........... 31
Independent Student Activities
INTERNET CHALLENGE™
For the Birds ................................................................................ 35
CURRENT EVENTS
Blizzard........................................................................................ 39
Professional Development
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Web 2.0 in the Classroom – Joining the Debate............................ 42
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A More Intimidating Place
J. Alan Baumgarten
I
will remember 2010 as the year the Internet became a more
dangerous, more intimidating place.
Make no mistake, I continue to be something of a Web apologist, and
my stance on the value of Web-based learning has not diminished. On the
contrary, there is more exceptional learning content available today than
ever before. But the Internet has (and always has had) a dark side, and it
is foolishness to focus only at the positive without occasionally looking
back over one's shoulder at the negative. Here are just a few of this year's
low points:
•
Wikileaks. 2010 is the year we learned how destructive information
could be in the hands of a person who lacks convictions. Even
more concerning to me than the immediate political repercussions
of what Julian Assange published – and how little governments
could do stop it – is that Assange will long be admired and
emulated by every antiestablishmentarian teenager in the world
with a few hacking skills.
•
Stuxnet.
Stuxnet We don't know who created it or how was delivered, but
we do know that a virus was successfully used to cripple a
controversial nuclear power plant in Iraq. The doors of cyberspace
espionage and warfare have been opened, and we haven't even
worked out the rules of engagement.
•
Privacy. The suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi
came as a direct result of fellow students making a illicit recording
of him in secret and streaming it out online. (The two students were
charged invasion of privacy.) Cyberbullying is a growing trend and
a big problem, but what concerns me more is how relatively easy
and inexpensive it has become for anyone to invade the privacy of
someone else.
While there are many lessons to be learned from the Internet events of
2010, there are two obvious themes that connect these threads. First, the
laws and the enforcement of laws governing the fair use of the Internet are
inadequate to ensure the safety and security of those who use it. This is not
likely to change anytime. Second, we must place greater emphasis on
teaching the values of character, integrity, respect, and personal
accountability. We will continue to be cautious and vigilant, but ultimately
the Web cannot function if the overwhelming majority of its users do not
conduct themselves in an honorable and trustworthy manner.
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The Big Bang & Beyond
Lisa Kerscher
The Big Bang is a high-energy story for
explaining the origin of the Universe, but
what is the evidence that supports that
theory? Take students on a tour to explore
these observations, while demonstrating that
this story’s end remains unwritten.
H
umans are curious creatures, infinitely seeking to
explain the world’s workings in familiar terms and
frameworks. For millennia, philosophers led the charge to
explain how and why the cosmos seemed to exist and
revolve. With the advent and evolution of scientific
thought and measurement, however, the traditional
philosopher’s role for explaining the Universe, in many
ways, has been passed to the scientist. Folkloric tales of
gods birthing the Earth and stars has generally yielded to
mathematical equations and concepts of physics. Even so, these
modern stories remain based on what is familiar to us, what we
can measure, blended with a good dose of variable conjecture.
NS9-12.4 Earth and Space
Science
• Origin and evolution of the
Universe
TEKS
§112.36. Earth and Space
Science
(4) Earth in space and time.
The student knows how Earthbased and space-based
astronomical observations
reveal differing theories about
the structure, scale,
composition, origin, and
history of the universe.
(A) evaluate the evidence
concerning the Big Bang model
such as red shift and cosmic
microwave background
radiation and current theories
of the evolution of the
universe, including estimates
for the age of the universe.
Fortunately, our view and understanding of the cosmos is
always evolving. As Stephen Hawking states in his latest book, The
Grand Design, “[Recent discoveries and theoretical advances] lead
us to a new picture of the universe and our place in it that is very
different from the traditional one,
and different even from the picture
we might have painted just a decade
or two ago.” For example, although
Edwin Hubble, in 1929, found
evidence that the Universe is
expanding, it was not until 1998 that
two independent teams of scientists
discovered that this expansion is
actually accelerating.
What’s the Story?
Before diving into the origin and
evolution of the universe, an
excellent starting point is showing
how today’s scientists think the
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universe is generally structured. The Known Universe, a 6-minute
video in the American Museum of Natural History’s ‘Science
Bulletins’, provides that perspective and context. The journey
illustrates the known universe as mapped through astronomical
observations. The video can be viewed within the Web page or
downloaded and viewed full screen. To bookmark or download
the video, use the Story Tools, which can be opened by clicking
the big white plus-sign in the red circle located just below the
video player. Starting in the Himalayas, the video leads viewers
outward, describing key features along the way. The tour stops at
the outer limits of scientific observation and understanding, before
returning to Earth.
In another Science Bulletins
module, watch the video explaining
how scientists are studying Our
Expanding Universe. Students
observe an easy-to-understand
explanation of how scientists
measure redshift and learn about the
current dark matter energy survey,
which is examining about 300
million galaxies.
In addition to measuring redshift,
astrophysicists also focus on studying
what is known as Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB) Radiation. CMB
radiation is the oldest light in the
universe–radiant heat left over from the Big Bang, and scientists
believe that it contains a wealth of information about the
conditions of the early universe. Star Stories provides some
interactive insight into some of the contributions in this field. In the
‘Star Stories’ section (versus the Timeline section), students will find
a story titled, ‘The echo of the Big Bang’. To navigate through the
story, students should click what “chapter” they want to explore
and then click the bottom center text box to close that chapter of
the story and return to the chapter selection screen. The story’s
contents include a brief description of Cosmic Microwave
Background Radiation, the Big Bang, and the “first light.” It also
features the Nobel Prize winners who first discovered CMB
radiation in 1965 and others who were instrumental in developing
NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), which launched in
1989 and precisely measured and mapped the CMB radiation.
Students will also learn that the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy
Probe (WMAP), a follow-up mission that launched in 2001, helped
scientists narrow down the age of the Universe to 13.7 billion
years and that stars first formed around 200 million years after the
Big Bang.
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To provide students a dose of how science has led to our
current theories on the origin and existence of the universe, a
summative narrative can be found at a site called The Big View. In
the Spacetime section, have students read the introduction and
The Universe pages.
On a Mission
Send students to the NASA
Science–Astrophysics for their next
leg into cosmic understanding. Begin
with the question: “In what ways do
measuring cosmic energy and
objects help scientists understand
how the Universe evolved over time,
and also give a glimpse into its
origin?” Write the question on a
classroom board for ongoing
reference. Tell students that an
acceptable answer will identify: what
is being measured, how it is
measured, and how it specifically contributes to understanding the
origin/evolution of the Universe.
To research answers to that question, have small teams explore
the Big Questions, such as “What are the origin, evolution and
fate of the Universe?”, “How do planets, stars, galaxies and
cosmic structure come into being?”, and “When and how did the
elements of life in the Universe arise?” Also, point students to the
Focus Areas, specifically The Big Bang, Dark Energy, Dark Matter,
and Galaxies sections.
In the Missions section, ask students to read the site’s short
descriptions of the COBE and the WMAP. For more in-depth
information about the WMAP, direct students to The Wilkinson
Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Exhibit in the Satellite
Showcase at NASA’s Imagine the Universe site. This exhibit
explains how WMAP’s mission was to help scientists clarify The
Foggy Universe and to better grasp The Shape of the Universe,
Formation of Structure in the Universe, How Old is the Universe.
Lastly online, prompt students to take a peek at the James Webb
Space Telescope, expected to launch in 2014. It will be the next
generation collector of CMB radiation and other data that
connects the Big Bang to our galaxy’s existence.
Wrap-up the exploration by having each group share one or
more answers to the question.
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Reflecting on the Universe
During this lesson, students have
reviewed animations, stories, and
descriptions about how modern
science has measured and theorized
about the origin and evolution of the
Universe. Now, students get their
turn to tell a story about the
Universe. Group students into small
cooperative teams. Consider
assigning students so that each team
includes a balanced mix of skills in
science, writing, and media. Tell
students that they will develop a story
through which the audience gains a
better understanding of how
scientists have generally concluded
that the age of the Universe is about 13.7 billion years and that
stars first formed around 200 million years after the Big Bang.
Direct students to use the sites they explored during this lesson, but
also encourage them to be creative in their storytelling, which may
include some speculation and prediction. Also, allow teams to
select varied formats. For example, teams could develop a video
as a sci-fi drama episode, an animated cartoon, a documentary
news story, or a series of audio podcasts.
Instruct students that their stories should answer one or more
questions, which may include:
•
Why and how do scientists study cosmic microwave
background radiation and/or redshift?
•
Why do scientists seek to examine regions farthest away
from us to understand the origin and evolution of the
Universe?
•
How have specific NASA missions contributed to
understanding of the Universe?
•
How would you describe the Big Bang and the space time
that has followed?
•
What new evidence could change the current estimate of
the age of the Universe?
•
What do you predict the Universe’s structure will look like in
another 14 billion years? How about in 50 billion years?
Instruct teams to integrate facts with their fiction, making sure to
include references as applicable and cite sources somewhere in
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their production. Have students experience each team’s
production and discuss.
Reference:
The Known Universe
http://www.amnh.org/sciencebulletins/index.php?sid=a.v.known_universe.20100426
Our Expanding Universe
http://sciencebulletins.amnh.org/?sid=a.f.dark_energy.20100319&src=b
Star Stories
http://nobelprize.org/educational/physics/star_stories/game/index.html
The Big View – Spacetime
http://www.thebigview.com/spacetime
NASA Science – Astrophysics
http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Exhibit
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/features/exhibit/map_exhibit.html
The James Webb Space Telescope
http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/
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Exploring the Pythagorean
Theorem
Stephanie Tannenbaum
One of the most commonly recognized and
employed theorems in secondary math is the
Pythagorean Theorem. It states that for any
right triangle, the area of the square which
side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite of
the right angle) is equal to the sum of the
areas of the squares which sides are the two
legs (the two sides that meet at a right angle).
This theorem is often written in the form of an
equation: a2 + b2 = c2.
S
tudents first encounter Pythagoras in middle school
and then continue to explore the theorem and its
applications throughout their math experience in high
school. The gap between the time students first work with
the Pythagorean concept in middle school and when they
apply it in higher level geometry and trigonometry courses
later is substantial. Oftentimes, the introduction to this
theorem is merely a glance-over and not a full (and necessary)
exploration of the concept. Providing middle school
students with a sound base for comprehending the
implications of this very important equation will enhance
their learning in later math explorations.
NM-GEO.6-8.1
Analyze characteristics and
properties of two- and threedimensional geometric shapes
and develop mathematical
arguments about geometric
relationships. Create and
critique inductive and
deductive arguments
concerning geometric ideas
and relationships, such as
congruence, similarity, and the
Pythagorean relationship.
TEKS
§111.24. Mathematics,
Grade 8
(7) Geometry and spatial
reasoning. The student uses
geometry to model and
describe the physical world.
(C) use pictures or models to
demonstrate the Pythagorean
Theorem
(9) Measurement. The student
uses indirect measurement to
solve problems.
(A) use the Pythagorean
Theorem to solve real-life
problems
Students gain comprehensive insight into the
Pythagorean Theorem through a variety of online
explorations, demonstrations, and activities.
What is the Pythagorean Theorem?
The Pythagorean Theorem can be used with many realworld applications: calculating the distance between points
on a plane; finding perimeters and surface areas and
volumes of a range of geometric shapes; and computing
the maximum/minimum values of perimeters and surface
areas and volumes of various geometric spaces. The key is
getting students to realize that this theorem is not just
important, but actually used in a wide range of applications
in everyday situations. For example, tell the class that they
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will be receiving a new 65-inch 3D TV for their classroom
(considering these currently retail for around six thousand dollars,
this should grab their attention). Remind them that TVs are
measured by their screen diagonally. Before you let them down
and tell them that this is a theoretical TV just for a math
exploration, point out that they will need to figure out if it will fit on
the bookshelf that measures 54 inches in width and 35 inches in
height.
Move students forward with a very
basic introduction to Pythagoras’s
famous discovery from Math is Fun.
Project this site for the whole class
and work through the page making
sure to play the animations (repeat
them to make sure all students
understand) and follow through the
worked examples. Follow up with the
introductory video, Pythagorean
Theorem Lesson (from Doina
Popovici’s CRCT Preparation).
Next move on to a more
complete overview of Pythagoras
from MathsNet. Start with the page
about the mathematician philosopher and then click through the
blue tabs at the top. Under ‘Proofs,’ click through each of the five
proofs. For gifted and talented students, point them to the
Construction 1 activity for later completion. Follow this lesson with
some more video examples by playing the clips listed at Online
Math Learning’s Pythagorean Theorem link.
Time to Play
Allow students to work in pairs for the next Web activity. Point
them to Pythagorean Puzzle from PBS. Read the lesson and the
graphic. They should try to Demonstrate the Pythagorean Theorem
Flash interactive. Move next to An Interactive Proof of Pythagoras’
Theorem from the University of British Columbia’s Mathematics
Department. Read the instructions in the gray box for each step.
Observe the diagram for each as well. Students may wish to create
a set of diagrams that illustrate each step of the proof in their math
journals.
Now tell students it is time ‘play.’ Ask them to think back to
when they were young children playing with blocks and tiles. They
will get to play with the digital geometric shapes in these applets.
Divide the class into three groups. Each group will work with one
of the following activities. Within each group, pair students up to
explore the applets. They should keep notes of their observations.
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After eight to ten minutes, have the students pair up with someone
from the other groups in order to then share their online activities
and ‘teach’ each other how to use it. Allow five to eight minutes
for students to work. Have them switch once more so that all
students will have experienced each of the three activities:
•
Pythagorean Theorem (Manipula Math) – read the
instructions on the page
•
Pythagorean Explorer (Shodor Interactivate) – click the Help
tab for instructions then continue with the Activity tab
•
Pythagorean Puzzles (Utah State University) – read the
instructions located at the right.
If students thought playing with shapes was fun, they will really
enjoy trying to escape an ancient Greek Minotaur as they search
the Temple of Oracle at Delphi to find out about the mystery of
Pythagoras. Pair students up to work through this exciting
interactive module, Math and the
Greeks from Discovery Education.
Now that students have enjoyed a
thorough exploration of the
Pythagorean Theorem, return to the
problem posed to the class about
the brand new TV, they will have
figured out that the shelf space is a
mere 84 square inches too small for
that TV. Tell them not to be too
heart-broken, it was a hypothetical
TV used to help students recognize
the value of implementing the
Pythagorean Theorem in a real,
everyday situation. The TV, sadly,
was never real.
Reference:
Math is Fun – Pythagoras’s famous discovery
http://www.mathsisfun.com/pythagoras.html
Doina Popovici’s CRCT Preparation – Pythagorean Theorem Lesson
http://www.crctlessons.com/Pythagorean-Theorem.html
MathsNet – Pythagoras
http://www.mathsnet.net/dynamic/pythagoras/index.html
Online Math Learning – Pythagorean Theorem
http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/the-pythagorean-theorem.html
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PBS – Pythagorean Puzzle
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/proof/puzzle/
An Interactive Proof of Pythagoras’ Theorem
http://sunsite.ubc.ca/LivingMathematics/V001N01/UBCExamples/Pythagoras/pythagoras.html
Pythagorean Theorem (collection of applets)
http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/geo/pythagoras.html
Shodor Interactivate – Pythagorean Explorer
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/PythagoreanExplorer/
Utah State University – Pythagorean Puzzles
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_164_g_3_t_3.html?open=instructions
Discovery Education – Math and the Greeks
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/braingames/greek/greek.swf
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Revisiting the life of Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Rachel Cummings
January 18 is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
This year, invite students to open their minds
by first opening their ears. Explore Dr. King’s
continued significance through music.
M
ENL-ENG.K-12.2
UNDERSTANDING THE
HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Students read a wide range of
literature from many periods in
many genres to build an
understanding of the many
dimensions (e.g.,
philosophical, ethical,
aesthetic) of human
experience.
TEKS
§110.42. English I
(19) Viewing/representing/
interpretation. The student
understands and interprets
visual representations.
(B) analyze relationships,
ideas, and cultures as
represented in various media;
artin Luther King, Jr. and Christopher Columbus are
the only historical figures who never served as
President for which the Federal government
commemorates with a day of recognition. This August the
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial opens on
the Mall in Washington, DC. Forty-two years after his
death, Martin Luther King, Jr. remains relevant. Today’s
students, may be most familiar with his I Have a Dream speech; it
is worthy of studying. However, it is not the only way to access Dr.
King’s legacy. This year, ask students to don some headphones
and revisit Dr. King’s contributions
by listening to music inspired by his
work and his times.
The History of a Day
Begin by asking students what
we commemorate on this day, and
why. List the terms they associate
with Martin Luther King, Jr. on a
cluster map. Ask students to share
their thoughts and record each
suggested term. Place a small tally
next to those that are mentioned
repeatedly. For visual learners, you
might also post photographs or
printouts of key terms. (Have
photographs available for key terms
or names you expect will come up.)
Briefly review the map and how
terms related to each other.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Nearly two decades later, President Reagan signed the bill into law
that created Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Rarely do we consider
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how or why a holiday is born. Revisit ABC News correspondent
Sam Donaldson’s coverage of that moment. Donaldson’s story
suggests everyone did not support the holiday. Who was opposed
and why? To learn more about the history of Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day and the politics that affected its creation, read Time
magazine’s article ‘A Brief History of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day’.
For a longer explanation of the history of this day, read the New
York Times article, ‘Broader Acceptance Sought for King Holiday’.
Ask students to discuss whether things have changed since the
New York Times article was written.
The Music for a Man
The Civil Rights Movement was a complex collection of many
events that required the work and sacrifice of countless people,
many of them unsung, historically anonymous heroes. It was not a
chaotic, spontaneous Movement but an orchestrated, organized
one from which Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as the most
recognizable leader. His speeches resonated with audiences then,
and his words remain politically and culturally relevant. A handful
of songs celebrate Dr. King’s life. However, Dr. King’s work
cannot be separated from the Civil Rights realities of his times.
Thankfully, YouTube.com offers many of these songs with videos
featuring historical footage.
YouTube does not edit the content or quality of the videos users
post; nor, does it restrict user comments. For some school districts,
these are reasons to block YouTube. Surely, they are reasons for
teachers to preview pages. However, among YouTube’s vast array
of videos are many of merit. Oftentimes, it is the only place to find
a video with legitimate links to the classroom, free of charge. The
videos below each feature a song
that was inspired by Martin Luther
King, Jr. accompanied by historical
photographs, headlines, or video
footage. Sound and sight together
packs a powerful punch.
Conduct a jigsaw activity in
which small groups of students
watch and discuss one video each.
To model this, show the class Sam
Cooke’s classic Civil Rights song, ‘A
Long Time Coming’. The video that
accompanies it begins with scenes
from the Civil Rights Movement
(many drawn from the PBS series,
‘Eyes on the Prize’) and closes with an excerpt from President
Obama’s presidential victory speech. For a more provocative
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discussion, play only the audio of the song first—without the video
or the Obama excerpt. Ask students to share the images the song
conjures. Then, play it again with the video and excerpt. Was it
what they imagined? How does President Obama’s excerpt alter
the meaning of the song? How do the song and images connect
to their earlier discussion? What would they add to the cluster
map? What questions does the video raise? (Little bit of trivia:
Obama was nominated for President at the Democratic
Convention 45 years to the day that Dr. King gave his ‘I Have a
Dream’ speech.)
Assign student groups one of the following songs/videos.
Students may benefit from watching the video repeatedly: once to
take in both audio and visual components and to record initial
reactions, a second time to listen to the lyrics, and once again to
examine the images with no sound. Ask a representative from each
group to report to the class what they heard and saw in the video:
the message of the lyrics, how the images/lyrics connect to the
cluster map discussion, what they add to their understanding of
Martin Luther King, Jr. and his times, how the lyrics and images
work together to deepen your understanding of each, what
questions they raise, and the one clip that resonated most with the
group.
Dion’s ‘Abraham, Martin, and
John’ remembers four historical
figures who each fought for civil
rights. Students might wonder: How
did Martin Luther King, Jr. free a lot
of people? What do Abraham
Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and
John (and Bobby) Kennedy have in
common? Explain these lyrics:
“Didn’t you love the things they
stood for? Didn’t they try to find
something good in you and me?”
Pause on the first screen to consider
the four quotes. Explain each. What
connects them? Explain which quote
resonates most with you.
Patty Griffin’s ‘Up to the Mountain’ refers to the final speech
Martin Luther King Jr. gave, the day before he was assassinated.
Who is the speaker in the song? What is the peaceful valley she
sings about? What is the mountain? What do the images reveal
about Dr. King or the Civil Rights Movement? The text at the end
of the video is an excerpt from that speech. If want students to
watch an excerpt of that speech, YouTube has that, too.
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Dudley Randall’s poem, ‘Ballad of Birmingham’, became the
basis for the song, ‘Ballad of Birmingham’. Both recount the tale
of a child whose mother refuses her request to go downtown to
march. Instead, her mother sends her to church, believing she will
be safer there, only to be killed by a bomb. The poem refers to the
1963 bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church in
which four young ladies died. Dr. King delivered the eulogy at
their funeral. Summarize for your
classmates the story told in the poem
and song. Which version did you
prefer—song or poem?
Dr. King’s iconic speech, ‘We
Shall Overcome’, incorporated the
refrain of the Civil Rights song of the
same title. For a closer look at the
simple lyrics, view Pete Seeger’s
version. Finally, fast forward to 0:50
for video of the crowd at the 1963
March for Jobs and Freedom in
Washington, DC singing the song
with Joan Baez. Why has this simple
song become a lasting symbol of the
Civil Rights Movement?
For many, Dr. King’s lasting
legacy lies in acknowledging the continued work necessary to
attain civil rights, and socio-economic and educational equality,
and for us each to contribute toward the vision embodied in ‘I
Have a Dream’. For some, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not a day
of remembrance, but a day of service. In observance of MLK Day
of Service, individuals may partake in community service events
across the United States on January 17, 2011. Simply enter your
zip code and view a list of local service opportunities. Challenge
students to consider how they might serve their communities. What
needs exist; what talents do they possess? As a final, independent
reflection, ask students to share their thoughts on the day’s
discussion: What images or songs resonated with them? Do they
support a holiday for Dr. King? How do they think it is best
observed? Has their understanding of the Civil Rights Movement
or Dr. King changed?
In August, 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
opens on the Mall in Washington, DC. (For a sneak peek, open
the Washington Post article and slideshow.) His monument joins
monuments honoring the crafter of the Declaration of
Independence, and the Protector of the Union. Clearly there is
something special about the man. Students deserve to understand
why 50 states in the nation honor his leadership and ministry with
a State holiday. By celebrating him we recognize the sacrifices and
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contributions of those who marched before, with, and after him.
Students deserve to examine the road we have traveled and to
look to the road ahead. How else will they choose the road less
taken?
Reference:
ABCNews
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9543704
EduPlace
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster.pdf
Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service
http://mlkday.gov
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/16/us/broader-acceptance-sought-for-king-holiday.html
Time Magazine
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1872501,00.html
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/01/AR2010120105188.html
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The Greco-Persian Wars
Andrea Annas
On one side sits a world power and on the
other side sits a collection of city-states. Who
will win?
I
n the fifth century BC, the Persian Empire was the
dominant force in Mesopotamia and one of the largest
in terms of geographic size in world history. By the late
400s BC, the Persian Empire started to stretch southward
into the Greek city-states. The conflict that ensued
between the Greeks and the Persians is known as the
Greco-Persian Wars or sometimes simply just as the
Persian Wars. The Persians Wars spanned several
decades and was full of intrigue, great leaders, and
magnificent battles. It was a defining moment for both
Persia and Greece - the end of an era for one and a
beginning of an era for anther.
Students will be mesmerized as they take a trip back
into time and learn about the Persian Wars.
A Little Background
NSS-WH.5-12.3
ERA 3: CLASSICAL
TRADITIONS, MAJOR
RELIGIONS, AND GIANT
EMPIRES, 1000-300 BCE
The student in grades 5-12
should understand
how major religions and largescale empires arose in the
Mediterranean basin, China,
and India, 500 BCE-300 CE.
§113.33. World History
Studies
1) History. The student
understands traditional
historical points of reference in
world history. The student is
expected to:
(B) identify changes that
resulted from important
turning points in world history
such as the development of
farming; the Mongol invasions;
the development of cities; the
European age of exploration
and colonization; the scientific
and industrial revolutions; the
political revolutions of the
18th, 19th, and 20th
centuries; and the world wars
of the 20th century;
Before examining the Greco-Persian Wars, first review
more about the major players involved: Athens, Sparta, and
Persia. Athens and Sparta were just
two of the many city-states that
made up ancient Greece. During the
fifth and fourth centuries BC, Athens
politically and culturally dominated
the other city-states. Visit BBC’s site
on the Ancient Greeks to learn Why
Athens was So Great. Then click the
link in the left bar to find out about
‘Life in Athens’. Then, watch a short
video excerpt of Lost Worlds –
Athens- Ancient Supercity hosted by
WatchKnow. While many know
Athens best for its democracy,
Athens was also a naval
powerhouse. Learn what made
Athens’ navy so powerful by
watching the first three minutes of a
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YouTube video called Athenian Navy.
While Athens dominated many aspects of Ancient Greece
during the fifth and fourth centuries BC, Sparta’s strength lay in
their military. Visit BBC’s site on Ancient Greeks and read the
articles about Sparta’s Soldier-state .Next click ‘Growing Up in
Sparta’ in the left bar. For a video introduction to Sparta, watch
the animated History Channel video entitled Spartans. Then to
learn more about the Spartan army watch the History Channel
videos: Spartans: Deconstructed, Spartan Boot Camp: Killing
Machines, and Battle of Thermopylae: Spartans Prepare.
From the 600s to the 300s BC,
Persia dominated Mesopotamia. Led
by rulers such as Cyrus the Great
and Darius I, Persia stretched her
borders as far west as Egypt and as
far east as the Indus River. Watch an
excerpt of Engineering an Empire –
The Persians and Persepolis
Recreated both hosted by
WatchKnow to learn about Persia’s
great empire.
These great powers collided when
the Athenians lent their support to
the Ionian Greek city-states during
their revolt against Persia. In 498
BC, Athens conquered and destroyed the Lydian capital of Sardis,
but soon lost interest in the revolt. Persia under the rule of Darius I
eventually regained control over the rebellious Greek cities in Asia
Minor and decided Athens deserved punishment for their role in
the destruction of Sardis. The Persian Wars had begun.
The Wars
In 490 BC, eight years after Athens had destroyed Sardis,
Darius I launched an attack against Athens. The Athens led by
former Persian soldier Miltiades met the Persian army at Marathon
in Attica. The stakes were high. The Persians had the most
powerful army in the world and an Athenian loss would result in
Persians gaining control of Greece. Watch a narrated and
animated video of the Battle of Marathon to gain an overview of
the battle and then watch Battles BC: Battle at Marathon both
produced by the History Channel. Then, read Herodotus’ account
of the battle at Eyewitness to History. Even though they were
outnumbered, the Athenians were victorious at Marathon. After the
battle, the Greek army quickly marched back to Athens and
successfully prevented a Persian attack on the city.
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After the Battle of Marathon, the Persians retreated. Problems at
home prevented Darius I from staging a second attack. In 486 BC,
Darius died and his son, Xerxes became king of Persia. Xerxes did
not stage a second attack until 481
BC. During this time, Themistocles
convinced his Athenians to invest the
profits of a silver mine into building
an navy. Learn more by watching a
YouTube video, The Brilliance of
Themistocles. By the time Xerxes
launched his attack, the Athenian
navy had two hundred ships, but
would it be enough to stop the
Persians? Go to the History Channel
and watch a video about King Xerxes
and His Master Plan to find out.
Then go to Edsitement and see if you
could build bridge across Hellspont
like Xerxes. Lastly, go to the British
Museum’s site on Ancient Greece
and read the Story, Explore the
Battlefield at Plataia, and see if you have what it takes to
command a Greek trireme.
Despite the creation of a large Athenian navy, by 480 BC
Xerxes’ Persian army and navy had ransacked much of the
northern Greek city-states and were pushing south. As the Persians
marched through destroying the Greek city-states, a Greek force
of approximately seven thousand gathered to block the pass at
Thermopylae. A vicious battle between the two sides ensued. First,
watch a History Channel video to learn How the Battle of
Thermopylae Unfolds. As the two sides fought each other, a Greek
traitor revealed a path to take the Persians behind Greek lines. In
a heroic last stand, King Leonidas of Sparta dismissed the majority
of his forces and guarded the pass in a famous last stand. Learn
more about the last stand of King Leonidas and his three hundred
Spartans by watching a History Channel videos: Last Stand of the
300: The Kill Zone and the Battle of Thermopylae.
News of the devastating loss at Thermopylae spread throughout
Greece, but a turning point was right around the corner during a
naval battle, the Battle of Salamis. During this battle, the Greeks
lured the Persian navy into the treacherous Straits of Salamis.
While the Persian ships struggled to maneuver through the straits,
the Greek triremes rammed and sank the Persian ships. In all, the
Persians lost about three hundred ships while the Greeks lost
about forty. First, view a map of the Battle of Salamis. Then, watch
a video on YouTube called the Battle of Salamis that summarizes
the events leading up to Salamis and the actual battle.
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After the loss at Salamis, most of the Persian army withdrew
from Greece. However, one Persian general, Mardonius, and his
men stayed in Greece through the winter. In 479 BC, he was
attacked and killed at Plataea (also spelled Plataia) by the largest
army the Greeks had ever gathered. The end of the Persian Wars
ushered in the Golden Age of Athens. Led by Athens, many Greek
city-states joined in a defensive alliance against future Persian
attacks called the Delian League. However, this alliance was shortlived as the city-states soon became embroiled in a war of their
own – the Peloponnesian War.
Reference:
BBC – Ancient Greeks: Athens
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/athens/
WatchKnow – Lost Worlds: Athens
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=10924&CategoryID=2946
YouTube – Athenian Navy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4PrjcXo0SU
The History Channel – Spartans
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=10924&CategoryID=2946
Eyewitness to History – The Battle of Marathon
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pfmarathon.htm
Livius.org – Salamis
http://www.livius.org/a/battlefields/salamis/salamis_map.gif
Edsitement – Bridges
http://164.109.104.189/sites/default/files/Bridges03.swf
British Museum – Ancient Greece
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/war/home_set.html
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The Night Sky
Alan Sills
Clear skies, calm winds, and long nights.
Yes, it is a bit cold, but with proper clothing
you and your students have a natural
laboratory to explore to your heart's content!
T
eaching a unit like this enables your students to dream
and imagine. The distances are so vast in space that
“the amount of space in space” is hard to conceive. This
will certainly grab your students’ attention as you begin
the unit by displaying some great photos and use the
Zoomer tool to explore “where we are”.
Students will explore links to online content that will
facilitate the study of basic astronomy. They will learn
what is “out there” and where Earth “fits” in the grand
picture. The amount of “space in space” is illustrated in
various ways throughout these activities.
Where are we?
NS.K-4.4
As a result of activities in
grades K-4, all students should
develop understanding of earth
and space science, including a
basic understanding of
astronomy and the night sky.
TEKS
§112.16. Science, Grade 5
(8) Earth and space. The
student knows that there are
recognizable patterns in the
natural world and among the
Sun, Earth, and Moon system.
The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between
weather and climate;
(B) explain how the Sun and
the ocean interact in the water
cycle;
(C) demonstrate that Earth
rotates on its axis once
approximately every 24 hours
causing the day/night cycle
and the apparent movement of
the Sun across the sky; and
(D) identify and compare the
physical characteristics of the
Sun, Earth, and Moon.
“Where is Earth?” Prompt students with this insightful
open-ended question. Then compile their answers. Use this
question as a “launch point” for the
ensuing activities. By asking such a
question, you will be raising their
awareness of their surroundings and
gaining a sense of how they view our
planet and its position in the
Universe. The Zoomer Applet,
provided by the Physics Department
at Weber State University allows you
and your students to answer that
question precisely. This tool is
essentially a simple slide bar where
you begin “zoomed in” on Earth and
you can gradually (or rapidly) zoom
out to view the entire Universe.
Using the Zoomer Applet, you
can easily and rapidly establish that
Earth is a planet with one moon revolving around it. The
animation even illustrates where geosynchronous and GPS
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satellites are found. The slide bar moves vertically up along the
right side of the simulation to create a larger and larger view that
attempts to illustrate scale along with relative location.
As you scroll outward, you cross
the Moon's orbit and the Inner
Planets; then the Sun come into
view. Pause here and consider
engaging your students with the
exploration of our nearest neighbors.
Many great sites exist including The
Solar S ystem, a site designed by
second grade students and hosted
by the Southern Indiana Education
Center. This site facilitates the study
of the inner planets. Break the class
up into teams with each team
exploring one of the four celestial
bodies (Mercury, Venus, Mars, and our moon). Click each planet
for a brief description along with one of the author’s drawings. An
approach asking them to compare and contrast each body to
Earth will ensure that each group studies key aspects of our planet
along with these foreign bodies. Focus on aspects including
composition, general environment, atmosphere, etc. NASA also
has outstanding resources on each planet, along with great
photos.
Returning to the Zoomer Applet, continue widening your view.
Take notice of the scale tool, which is enabled by checking the box
in the lower corner. It is located at the bottom of the main view,
the units are in “light distance” - light years, light minutes, light
seconds, from Earth. Have students create an outline of what they
encounter as they travel farther and farther from Earth.
As you exit the solar system, notice the presence of the Kuiper
Belt (Pluto is one of the largest members of this belt of icy – cold
bodies) and the current locations of a few man made probes
launched in the 1970's. As you continue to widen your view, you
will reach the nearest stars (at a distance of a few light years), then
full galaxies, and finally the edge of the Universe! Enjoy the trip.
Bring in some math by having students design a model Universe or
solar system within your classroom.
Lastly here is access to a great poster that provides a “Cosmic
Perspective”. Point out some of the major features labeled on this
poster.
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Watching the Night Sky
Science Score has posted
Watching the Night Sky, a great
story that you can turn into an
interactive lesson. Begin reading this
story with students. You may wish to
have them read it paragraph by
paragraph as a class. Stop after
each paragraph to solicit student
input or to prompt thought and
wonder.
Specifically, after the first
paragraph, have students identify
whether they are in a city, suburban,
or rural location. Ask them to name
what they believe they have seen in
the night sky. Use the second paragraph to reinforce what they
worked on in the first lesson in this article. Use the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
paragraphs to create a scale model of the solar system. Have
students use the props named in the essay – a soccer ball,
peppercorn, and peanut. Take your students outside and create a
scale model of the solar system using individual students to mark
positions. Once you have a student pace off Neptune, have
students leave markers (pieces of construction paper perhaps) and
then re-group the class to close the activity.
With each of the remaining paragraphs, help students identify
where these objects are found or originate. For example, satellites
orbit Earth, and as such would be right next to the planet; meteors
originate in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter), and
comets are thought to originate in the Kuiper belt (recall this is
beyond the orbit of Neptune).
The visual impact of this activity should serve to reinforce Bill
Nye's famous quip “There is a lot of space in space.”
Operation: Imagination Constellation
The Pacific Science Center has a great “hands-on” lesson
written designed to help your students understand what a
constellation is and even enables them to “design” and name their
own. Create-A-Constellation provides complete instructions in a
free, down-loadable PDF document for you and your students to
follow. It is a great lead-in to observing the night sky and looking
at the 'real' thing! The document is easy to follow and quite selfexplanatory. The activity concludes by presenting the learner with a
scatter-dot pattern and asks the student to create their own
constellation. Consider having each student create their own and
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then share with the class what they observe, then post their work in
the classroom for all to view. This also provides a great lead for
you to discuss the fact that different ancient cultures created their
own constellations. Remember constellations are a purely manmade phenomenon.
For more advanced learners, you may want to prompt them to
consider the fact that stars within well-known constellations may be
located at very disparate distances from Earth. That is, the stars in
Orion's belt (one of the most easily recognizable winter
constellations across the United States) are not all equidistant from
Earth. In fact, one is relatively close and one is quite a bit farther.
This leads to another revelation, if you were to travel away from
Earth (FAR away from Earth) the star patterns would no longer
would be recognizable! This is a concept that most people, not just
elementary students have trouble with.
Preparing to Study the Night Sky
Thanks to innovative, interactive technologies, you can produce
sky charts for your local area. This is an excellent approach to
prepare students for what they can look for at the hour they go
outside to observe. The Astroviewer, produced by astronomy
enthusiast Dirk Matussek is a very user friendly tool. From
Astroviewer's main page, click the Astroviewer Online logo in the
upper-left corner of this page. You are now on the “find planets
and constellations in the night sky” page. Click the “current night
sky” link to create a sky map for the current night sky for the
location of your choice. Use the dialogue box provided and select
the nearest major city to your
location. For example, if West Palm
Beach, Florida does not produce a
result, try Miami, Fl. The only
limitation to this tool is it is “realtime”. You cannot adjust the time to
view the sky at the time of your
choosing. There is a viewer available
for download, but, there is a small
fee to gain full access to that viewer.
As an alternative, Sky and
Telescope's Interactive Sky Chart has
an outstanding tool that can be
adjusted to your location and to any
time you wish to model the sky. You
will need to create a (free) user
account with Sky and Telescope, but
once that task is completed, you can
click the “Interactive Sky Chart”
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button on the left side of Sky and Telescope's home page and the
interface will open and prompt you to select a location. The tools
are fairly intuitive within the interface, you can select date and time
and have views for both overhead (towards the zenith) and from
the horizon (and you can select your view direction.) To change
your orientation along the horizon, just click and drag and you
can (for example) change a view looking west to a view looking
north. Additionally, consider playing with the advanced display
options to customize your view.
Once you are within the Interactive Sky Chart, try stepping
either minute by minute or hour by hour through the night sky
view. Use this as a tool to familiarize students with the night sky
and/or prep them for an evening activity where they are asked to
identify something specific.
Take advantage of this tool to ask students why the view would
change throughout the night. Develop the concept that Earth
rotates (spins on its axis) and in a 24 hour period completes one
rotation. Challenge students to consider whether stars are still
present during the day. The answer is yes, but the scattering of
light in our atmosphere prevents us from seeing “into space” with
the exception of the brightest celestial objects (such as the Moon).
A Virtual Planetarium
Paul Neave of neave.com has
created a virtual Planetarium. Use
your mouse to look around the sky;
point to stars and constellations to
access their names along with a
celestial objects (star, planet or
moon) brightness and distance (in
light years or astronomical units).
Recall, a light year is the distance
light travels in a year; an
astronomical unit is the distance
between Earth and the Sun. Click the
tool to begin studying the sky. Adjust
date and time along with location
(click the location to access a
clickable world map) by latitude and
longitude. Along with the sky chart
detailed in the previous section, this tool provides students an
excellent sense of what to look for.
To start using the planetarium, select your location, and then
ask students to search around for a constellation they recognize.
They can use the star chart from the previous section to gain a
sense of what they are looking for. Once they find a constellation,
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for example, Orion (be sure the date is a winter date and the time
is after sunset), direct them to locate his belt and study the three
stars that comprise his belt. Are they of equal magnitude
(brightness)? Are they equidistant from Earth? Use this as an
opportunity to reinforce the concept of a light year (approximately
600 trillion miles).
The sky has been a source of fascination since the beginning of
civilization. Studying the “heavens” will exercise students'
imaginations, increase their sense of wonder, and build their
powers of observation. While the study of constellations is not
“hard science”, it can lead to core concepts in Astronomy,
including the study of patterns, stellar magnitude, and distance.
Reference:
Zoomer Applet
http://physics.weber.edu/schroeder/software/zoomer.html
The Solar System
http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/proj/space/solar1.htm
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
http://www.nasa.gov
Cosmic Perspective
http://i.imgur.com/cPqxR.jpg
Watching the Night Sky
http://www.sciencescore.com/blog/?p=53
Create-A-Constellation
http://www.pacsci.org/download/astro_ad_constellation.pdf
Dirk Matussek
http://www.matussek.com
Astroviewer
http://www.astroviewer.com/interactive-night-sky-map.php
Sky and Telescope
http://www.skyandtelescope.com
Neave Planetarium
http://www.neave.com/planetarium/
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Engaging the Accelerated
Learner
Kira Hamman
We have all had ‘those’ students. They are
the ones who finish the assignment before the
rest of the class is on number two; the ones
who seem to be able to remember facts
almost before you have taught them. They
are the children who often end up sitting at
their desks waiting for the rest of the class to
catch up.
I
n the best situations, accelerated learners may be able
to help slower learners. In the worst situations, they
become disruptive because they are bored. Most of them
are probably in between – not harming anything, but not
learning anything either.
NM-NUM.3-5.1
Understand numbers, ways of
representing numbers,
relationships among numbers,
and number systems
TEKS
§111.17. Mathematics,
Grade 5
(5) Patterns, relationships,
and algebraic thinking. The
student makes generalizations
based on observed patterns
and relationships. The student
is expected to:
(A) describe the relationship
between sets of data in
graphic organizers such as
lists, tables, charts, and
diagrams; and
(B) identify prime and
composite numbers using
concrete objects, pictorial
models, and patterns in factor
pairs.
Explore some of the ideas for easy-to-implement activities that
can be used to engage accelerated learners in mathematics.
These fun projects encourage development of mathematical skills
and competencies beyond the basics that may be taught in class.
Perhaps most importantly, they can be completed largely
independently, so the teacher is free
to work with the rest of the class at
the same time.
Sudoku
Do not laugh! Sudoku is a
challenging game that fosters
number sense and excellent problem
solving skills. To solve even the most
basic puzzle, students must be able
to see patterns, make predictions,
and think logically. More advanced
puzzles require more advanced
problem solving skills, so this game
lends itself easily to almost any level
of player.
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Daily SuDoku is an excellent source of Sudoku puzzles for both
children and adults. The site has a section of puzzles aimed at
kids, as well as an archive that lists past puzzles by level of
difficulty. Click one of the kids’ puzzles in the archive to get a
screen that lets you print the puzzle, switch from numbers to letters,
and see the solution. Print puzzles at various levels from this site to
keep on hand as activities for students who finish their regular
work early. Once students understand how the puzzles work, you
can challenge them to come up with their own. This is difficult, but
is a very good exercise for accelerated math students. If you have
more than one such student in your class, have them each make a
puzzle and then switch to see if they can solve each other’s.
Tangrams
Tangrams provide another excellent problem solving exercise,
this time with a geometric slant. A tangram is an ancient puzzle
made of seven geometric shapes that can be assembled and
reassembled into a huge variety of figures. The challenge is to
assemble the pieces into a given shape, which is often much
harder than it appears at first glance. The exact origin of the
tangram puzzle has been lost to history, but it probably originated
in China several thousand years ago. It has been around in the
western world since the 1800s, at least.
If a computer is available to your accelerated students, they
can work with tangrams online at a number of sites. One of the
best is from the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. Click
one of the grey shapes at the bottom of the screen. Then use the
mouse to arrange the tangram pieces (without overlapping) to
cover the shape. To flip a piece over, click the Flip button with the
arrow on it. Students can also
change the color of a piece by
clicking a new color on the grid. This
site also has a link at the top of the
page for parents and teachers that
explains more about how the game
works, and a link that connects the
game to the NCTM Standards. PBS
provides two more Flash-based
tangram activities, Tangrams and
Tangram Game. Check
TeacherStore’s Room 108 Tangrams
for even more interactive fun.
If no computer is available, students can still work tangram
puzzles. Print out tangram templates on sturdy paper and have
students cut out the pieces to make their own sets. Then print out
puzzles and keep copies on hand. When students need additional
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work at math time, give them a new sheet of puzzles to try. Be sure
to ask them to write about their solutions in their math journals to
practice those communication skills.
Other Games
In addition to Sudoku and Tangrams, there are a great many
mathematically-themed games students can play both online and
offline. Shut the Box is another very old game that integrates
problems solving skills with addition facts. Players roll a pair of
dice, find the sum that appears, and then flip down tiles numbered
1 to 9 to make that sum in whatever way they choose. For
example, if the dice show 4 and 5, the sum is 9, so the player
could flip down just the 9, or 8 and 1, or 4 and 3 and 2, and so
on. Then the player rolls again and tries to flip down the new sum
using just the tiles that are left. The turn is over when there are no
tiles left up that add up to the sum on the dice. Students can play
this game individually or in pairs. The goal is to have the lowest
sum left at the end of each turn.
Remember Tetris? Well, it turns out to be a great game for
practicing spatial reasoning. There are hundreds of versions
available online, but many computers also have simple versions
built in. Check your school’s computers to see if the original
version from the eighties is still hanging around on them. There
are a number of journal questions students can address about
Tetris. Try asking how many shapes there are, or which shapes are
easier to place, or which sequences of shapes are hard or easy. Be
sure to encourage students to explain their reasoning.
The key to engaging accelerated students is to implement
variety and challenge. Be willing to offer a new activity if the old
one seems stale or wrong for them. And do not be afraid to try
activities that are not traditionally seen in the mathematics
classroom. If it seems like math, it probably is math, and they will
learn from working with it. No teacher likes to see a student bored
in his or her classroom. Providing plenty of enrichment activities
can prevent boredom for ‘those’ students and give them
something to look forward to in math class again.
Reference:
Daily SuDoku
http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk/sudoku/index.shtml
Tangrams – National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_268_g_1_t_3.html?open=activities
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Tangram activities – PBS
http://pbskids.org/sagwa/games/tangrams/index.html
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/area/tangram.html
Room 108 Tangrams – TeacherStore
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/tangram/tangram.html
Tangram Template
http://mathforum.org/pom/big.tangram.html
Tangram Planches
http://www.tangrams.ca/download/TangramPlanches.pdf
Shut the Box
http://www.shut-the-box.net/
Tetris
http://www.freetetris.org/game.php
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Common Core Standards:
Writing, Listening, and
Speaking
Stephanie M. Hamilton
After reading the story “Matilda” by Roald
Dahl, you ask Denise for her opinion of the
book. Denise begins to tell you that she liked
the book, but cannot explain why. Using
puppets, you ask Denise to act out her
favorite part of the book. You take notes as
Denise shares and then discuss these notes
with Denise. Later, Denise is able to write a
complete paragraph describing her opinion
of the book.
NL-ENG.K-12.12 APPLYING
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Students use spoken, written,
and visual language to
accomplish their own purposes
(e.g., for learning, enjoyment,
persuasion, and the exchange
of information).
TEKS
§110.5. English Language
Arts and Reading, Grade 3
(1) Listening/speaking/
purposes. The student listens
attentively and engages
actively in various oral
language experiences.
(14) Writing/purposes. The
student writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes and in
various forms.
L
istening, speaking, and writing
are skills that individual state
standards and the Common Core
English Language Arts Standards
address, but separately. While
working on one skill, you can and
probably are addressing other skills.
We will look at Web sites that
address each skill individually, but
also identify ways to combine these
skills into everyday classroom
lessons.
Within the Common Core English Language Arts Standards at
grade 3, are these specific Speaking & Listening Standards:
•
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text
read aloud or information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
•
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an
experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive
details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
•
Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation in order to provide requested detail or
clarification.
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In grade 5, there is a higher skill demand for students: “Engage
effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics
and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.”
The Common Core Standards for writing are very similar for
grades 3 and 5 in these areas:
•
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point
of view with reasons and information.
•
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and
create an organizational structure in which ideas are
logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
•
Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by
facts and details.
•
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the
opinion presented.
Take some time to explore how to use listening and speaking
activities to create writing that meets the standards within your
state and the Common Core.
Listening and Speaking: Classroom Strategies
A fable is a short story which teaches a lesson. In small groups
or in a computer learning center, students can listen, discuss, and
respond to stories written by Aesop. Studyzone.org, a New York
State Test Prep site, introduces students to Aesop through the
“Tortoise and the Hare” fable. Click to hear the story while also
reading it. Following the story are three comprehension questions.
Click the “jumping hare” at the bottom of the page for another
story, “The Fox and the Crow.” There are also comprehension
questions to follow. Form pairs of
students to listen to the story
together. Then encourage them to
have a short discussion about the
main idea and supporting details of
the story. Have students share what
they think the moral or lesson for the
story. Students should write a
paragraph describing either the
fable or the lesson learned. Addition
al Aesop’s Fables can be found at
the Penguin Publishing Group Web
site.
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For additional audio stories, visit Storynory which has published
a new audio story every week since November 2005. Older
students may enjoy the “Educational” section of the site which
features Greek myths, Robin Hood, and the Knights of the
Roundtable. There are also classic fairy tales, original stories, and
stories appropriate for very young readers. Teachers can create
their own audio tapes of stories taken from classroom textbooks to
support struggling students’ comprehension of text and to enhance
listening skills for all students.
To further develop listening and
speaking skills, create a puppetmaking learning center in the
classroom. Students create puppets
of their favorite characters and act
out their favorite scenes. After
students have visited Debopriya
Bose’s article on Puppet Makin g for
Children, think about the type of
materials you want to include in your
center. Ask students to bring in
clean, used socks and scrap fabrics
to add to your center. Groups of
students could create Reader’s
Theater puppet shows based on the stories you have introduced to
them or the scripts found at this Web site.
Writing to Inform
Asking students to “report on a topic or text, tell a story, or
recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive detail” is one form of writing to inform. Show students
the general format and examples of information writing with
Writing Fun by Jenny Eather. Click “Information Report” under the
column “Text Types” to see the how this type of writing is
organized. There are six examples to share with students for a
whole class discussion. Other types of writing to view on their own
are Explanation, Discussion, Persuasion, Response, or Description.
Consider matching one type of writing format with different stories
presented in class.
For more specific tutorials on how to organize writing, have
students visit the OWL elementary Web site which describes the Six
Traits of Writing: Organization, Voice, Sentence Fluency, Word
Choice, and Conventions. Provide an opportunity to practice skills
by using the Read, Write, Think essay map. Lastly, for English
language learners, struggling students or to provide an opportunity
to build listening skills, have students watch the video on
paragraph writing. Students will hear the “paragraph song” and
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watch as the rules for writing are applied to a fun topic – eating
ice cream.
To help students further develop their writing and editing skills,
try a “write, pair, share” which is a version of a “think, pair, share”
reading comprehension strategy. After students have finished their
writing assignment, ask them to choose a partner to share with.
Allow time for student pairs to “share” their writing, and then direct
students to read and edit their partner’s work. Consider including
this activity in a new writing center that also promotes listening and
speaking.
Reference:
Common Core English Language Arts Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards
Tortoise and the Hare Audio Fable
http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/a/fablel.cfm
Audio Versions of Aesop’s Fables
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/packages/us/yreaders/aesop/index.html
Storynory.org Audio Stories
http://storynory.com/
Puppet Making for Children
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/puppet-making-for-children.html
Reader’s Theater
http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
Writing Fun by Jenny Eather
http://www.writingfun.com/writingfun2010.html
Six Traits of Writing
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html
Paragraph Writing Video
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=903&CategoryID=663
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Estimated Time: 6 0 Minutes
2. What are three reasons that exotic birds such as
parrots and songbirds are being threatened with
extinction?
For the Birds
Geri Ruane
Name __________________________________
As we ease back in to school, take a moment to
consider a rather unknown holiday. National Bird Day,
which takes place on January 5th. This holiday,
established by bird activists, is to draw attention to the
exploitation of pet birds and captive birds.
Why do we have such a holiday? According to the
Born USA Web site, “… nearly twelve percent of the
world’s 9,800 bird species may face extinction within
the next century.” One of the goals of National Bird
Day is to educate the public about the plight of the
world’s birds: both in captivity and in the wild.
3. Explain the focus of National Bird Day.
4.
In this month’s Internet Challenge™, we will see the
significance of encouraging the public to appreciate
our own native birds as well as birds from other
nations. We need to commit to protecting all birds
against cruelty and extinction. If we do not do this
now, what is going to happen to birds in the future?
Let’s think of that as we begin our online adventure
now.
What often happens when exotic birds are sold
into the pet trade?
Good answers!
The first Web site that we will visit is National Bird Day
at http://www.nationalbirdday.com/
http://www.nationalbirdday.com/
Now, click Make Your Bird Happy in the navigation
bar on the left side of the screen. Read the page, and
then answer these
these questions.
Read the information on this Web page and then
answer these questions.
5.
1. Birds are sentinel species whose plight serves as
barometer of ecosystem health and alert system for
detecting global environmental. Select a synonym
for the word “sentinel” from the choices below.
How would you demonstrate being a good owner
of an exotic bird? List four ways you would do
this.
a.
b.
a. guard
b. watchman
c.
c. lookout
d. all of the above
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January 2011 Internet Challenge – 2/3
6.
10. The article encourages people to support any
store that sells birds or uses them for display.
How should a bird be washed?
a. true
b. false
Terrific!
Great!
The next site that we will visit is Encyclopedia
Britannica's Advocacy for Animals.
Animals. You can find it at
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2007/
12/national12/national-birdbird-dayday-januaryjanuary-5-2008/
At the bottom of the page, click the link that says “Ten
Fast Facts about Captive Birds.” Another
Another page will
come up. Read the text and then answer the following
question.
Read this article, written in 2007
2007 by bird expert Monica
Engebretson of Born Free USA.
USA. In it he discusses the
effects of captivity on exotic birds. When you are done,
answer the next set of questions.
11. What effects does the stress of confinement have
on a bird?
7.
How are parrots similar to and different from
toddlers?
Terrific!
8.
Go to Born Free USA.org: Press Releases at
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/press.php?more=1&p=5
26
The author of this article gives reasons as to why
baby birds are taken away from their parents.
How would you generate a plan so that this does
not take place and baby birds remain with their
parents until they are fully weaned?
The material on this page was posted in 2006, but it
still contains pertinent information. Read it, and then
answer the following question.
12. How would you explain the findings of the API
under-cover investigation on the retail pet store
industry?
9.
Why should you be cautious about bird
sanctuaries that only take large birds?
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January 2011 Internet Challenge – 3/3
16. List four regulations for the creation of an animal
sanctuary. If you could develop a fifth regulation, what
would it be?
Way to go!
Our next Web site is Celebrating National Bird Day,
January 5.
5. Go to http://petcaretips.net/birdhttp://petcaretips.net/bird-day.html
Written in 2005, this
this Web site also contains important
facts. Read the material and then answer the question.
13. Give details about the California Assembly Bill
202.
Excellent work!
Extension Activity – Complete
Complete one or all of them!
•
Very good!
Read, Write and give your View! What is your
opinion of the following statement?
“Consumers must realize that exotic birds are not
domestic animals. To confine them is to deprive
them of the inherent behaviors that make them
birds,” says Denise Kelly, Avian Welfare Coalition
President.
Next stop on our cybercyber-journey is The Avian Welfare
Resource Center at http://www.avianwelfare.org/
Click “AWC: Hot Topic” Read the information located
on this Web page about bird rescue, placement, and
sanctuary organizations. Be sure to look at the Five
Essential Qualities of an Avian Shelter Facility.
Facility.
14. If you could rank the five essential qualities of an
avian shelter facility in order (which one is the
most important to the least important), how would
you do it? Arrange them in your new order and
be able to support your decision.
15. Explain the difference between “hoarding” and
being a rescuer of animals.
Give your analysis of Ms. Kelly’s statement. Share
your writing with your teacher and classmates. Talk
about it!
•
Give a presentation at your school. Ask the students
to draw or write on the theme "Think Outside the
Cage." Have them compare and contrast our native
birds to the native birds of other countries. Another
choice: compare and contrast how birds live in the
wild and how they live in captivity. The last option is
how the wild bird trade impacts birds. Once their
pieces are done, share them with your teacher and
classmates. Talk about it!
•
Name That Tune. Can you match the bird to its call?
http://www.nationalbirdday.org/g_birdquiz.php
•
Meet a Lorikeet! Go to Lucky the Lorikeet, which can
be found at http://www.luckythelorikeet.com.
_________________
Congratulations! You have done a terrific job
completing this month’s Internet Challenge™.
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Answers to January's Internet Challenge™
1. (e) all of the above
2. Their existence is being threatened due to pressures from the illegal pet trade, disease and habitat loss.
3. National Bird Day is a day to take time to appreciate the native wild birds flying free outside. It is also a
perfect time to reflect on how we treat the native birds of other countries. While we have enacted laws to protect
our native birds — such as blue jays, cardinals, and crows — from commercial exploitation, we fail to recognize
the inconsistency in allowing the pet industry to exploit the birds of other countries.
4. Each year thousands of birds are sold into the pet trade to individuals who are under the mistaken impression
that a bird will make a perfect pet. Whether due to frustration, disinterest, or concern, many people attempt to
rid themselves of the responsibility of caring for their birds. Few of these birds will find a good home, and most
will spend their days confined and isolated in their cages. Others will be bounced around from caretaker to
caretaker and some may be abandoned at local shelters and bird rescue groups, set free to take care of
themselves or to be euthanized.
5. Students’ own answers. Some suggestions: Give birds (a) a healthy diet that would include not just seeds, but
grains, beans, vegetables (cooked and raw) formulated pellets, and some fruit; (b) plenty of daily exercise and
out-of cage time; (c) socialization with other birds or humans; (d) teaching your bird new tricks or games.
6. A bird owner should use a clean spray bottle of water to promote feather and skin health and for fun. Some
birds prefer to bathe in a small container (like their water dish); others enjoy being misted with water. It is
important to allow the birds to air-dry in a warm room or in the sunshine.
7. Parrots are very intelligent and social; they have been compared to human toddlers in the needs of their
emotional and social lives. However, unlike children, they never grow up.
8. Students’ own opinions.
9. The author advises the reader to be wary of rescue organizations that will not accept smaller birds. They may
simply be looking to acquire larger birds to sell or adopt out at higher fees.
10. (b) false
11. The stress of confinement can lead birds to show abnormal behaviors, such as excessive screaming, feather
plucking, self-mutilation, and other destructive habits.
12 This investigation exposed an alarming level of mistreatment of animals, particularly birds. It documented
neglect of birds in the pet stores, from overcrowding and unsanitary housing to severe injury and illness.
13. In an effort to protect parrots in the retail pet industry, API and the AWC introduced California Assembly Bill
202, which would require that parrots are able to eat on their own ("weaned") before they are released from a
pet shop. It also would require that pet shops must have one to two employees trained in the care and feeding
of young birds. The bill went into effect on September 1, 2004, making California the first state in the nation to
regulate the sale of unweaned birds. Some stores in the pet industry oppose this.
14. Students’ own answers.
15. Animal hoarders often masquerade as “rescuers,” describing their homes as “shelters” or “refuges.” But
hoarding is not about legitimate animal sheltering or rescue; it is a serious mental illness that jeopardizes the
health and welfare of the animals and the people involved. The medical profession now recognizes animal
hoarding as a psychiatric disease that is closely related to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
16. (a) Regulations for an animal sanctuary: No breeding or commercial trade; no invasive or intrusive
research; no unescorted public visitation or contact in wild animal sanctuaries; and no removal of wild animals
for exhibition, education or research. (b) Students’ own answers.
Extension Activities – students own answers.
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Estimated Time: 30 Minutes
Blizzard
J. Alan Baumgarten
On December 26, 2010, the first major
blizzard of winter slammed the northeastern
United States. The storm unleashed powerful
winds as it moved up the coast, dumping a
foot of sideways-blowing snow on some
areas with more expected through Monday’s
morning commute.
G
overnors declared states of emergency in Virginia,
Maryland and Massachusetts ahead of the
approaching storm, a bid to get crews ready and expedite
recovery funding depending on its impact. The mayors of
Philadelphia, Boston, Providence and Portland, Maine,
also called snow emergencies, while New York City launched a
winter snow storm operation and encouraged people to stay off
the roads by taking mass transit or staying put.
TEKS
§112.18. Science, Grade 6
(9) Force, motion, and
energy. The student knows
that the Law of Conservation
of Energy states that energy
can neither be created nor
destroyed, it just changes
form. The student is expected
to:
(A) investigate methods of
thermal energy transfer,
including conduction,
convection, and radiation;
(B) verify through
investigations that thermal
energy moves in a predictable
pattern from warmer to cooler
until all the substances attain
the same temperature such as
an ice cube melting
In this week’s online activity, get ready to learn cool facts about
snowflakes and snowstorms.
All About Snow
Our first stop this week is All About Snow, a section of the
Education Center at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Here
you can study snow in a variety of different contexts, including
science, geography, and history.
Read the overview, and then click
Q&A. This page contains a selection
of frequently asked questions related
to snow. Read each question and its
corresponding answer. As you read
each question and answer,
determine if it relates to science,
geography, or history. How many
questions are there in each
category?
Click Facts and read the page.
Which cities and states in America
receive the most snow on average?
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In the western states, how much of the yearly water supply comes
from winter snow? What names do skiers use to describe different
types of snow?
To learn about snow-related history in the United States,
browse to Have Snow Shovel Will Travel and read the page. What
is the difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm? What are
some ways in which early settlers in New England learn to prepare
for heavy snow? When were the first snow plows developed?
Describe the blizzard of 1888. How did snow removal evolve in
the early 1900s? Describe three or four strategies for remaining
safe during a blizzard.
Snowflakes and Snow Crystals
Now that you have learned a few things about snow, let’s get
microscopic and learn about snowflakes and individual snow
crystals at this site by Kenneth G. Libbrecht at Caltech. After
scanning the page to look at the
magnificent snowflake photos, go to
the Snowflake Primer page under the
heading Snowflake Physics.
Physics This
page gives basic facts about
snowflakes and snow crystals. What
is the difference between a
snowflake and a snow crystal? Why
are all snow crystals hexagonal (six
sides)? What is the difference
between snow and sleet? What are
crystal facets? What factors cause
snow crystals to form differently?
Summarize the life of a snowflake.
Next, browse to the Snow Crystal FAQs page and read the
frequently asked questions and answers. Is it common for snow
crystals to form symmetrically? What color is snow? What is the
best temperature for making snow? Name three reasons for
studying snow crystals.
There is more to read, so feel free to explore. For now, take a
look at some of the designer snowflakes created by Libbrecht.
Read Designer Snowflakes – Part One: First Attempts. This
describes the author’s attempts to re-create the conditions that
cause snowflakes to form in nature. Then read Snowflake Movies
and watch some of the fascinating time-lapse movies of snow
crystals growing in the lab.
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Reference:
National Snow and Ice Data Center – All About Snow
http://nsidc.org/snow/
Caltech – Snowflakes and Snow Crystals
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
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Web 2.0 in the Classroom – Joining
the Debate
Stephanie Tannenbaum
Last month we explored what Web 2.0 is all about
and what it could mean for the future of our
educational program. We certainly could not cover
this pertinent topic without an unbiased examination
of the views for why this application may or may not
be ideal for education.
S
tudents attend school to gain information. That has been the
backbone of our education system throughout history.
Nowadays the way that students find out about, share and discuss,
and ultimately disseminate and apply the information they learn is
just as important as learning the information itself. We are in the
very belly of the Web 2.0 ‘beast’ and depending upon the various
perspectives, this may or may not actually be such an
impenetrable monster. The debate about when and how schools
should embrace and utilize Web 2.0 technologies is a relevant
and important controversy to explore and discuss now.
The various Web 2.0 applications that utilize social networking
ideology is a ubiquitous component of most students’ lives. We as
teachers also turn to the Internet as a tool for creating, searching,
organizing, storing, collaborating, and sharing. And so we must
assume that students are certainly not only following suit, but
setting the pace. Therefore the debate is thus: Should Web 2.0
types of applications be
implemented in the classroom and
to what level is it legitimate and
appropriate?
The Views
Let’s start with a couple of video
clips of Mediated Cultures (from
Digital Ethnography at Kansas State
University). Scroll down and watch
“The Machine is Us/ing Us.” Then
scroll down further and watch “A
Vision of Students Today.” This is the
perspective of cultural
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anthropologist, Dr. Michael Wesch who studies the effects of
innovative media on culture and society. After watching these
clips, take a moment to jot down the ways you currently use Web
2.0 programs. Consider which of these students might also be
using. Next to each item that you listed, write down one positive
outcome and one negative concern that you or other
parents/teachers may perceive.
For an excellent entry point into this debate, read the
statements defending and opposing the motion as set forth in The
Economist 2008 debate, “This house believes social networking
technologies will bring large [positive] changes to educational
methods, in and out of the classroom.” As you consider the
proposing and opposing views, think of your own classroom
environment. What would be the pros and cons of implementing
various forms of this type of learning through technology with your
group of students?
Since there is such a vast range
of opinions on implementing Web
2.0 technologies in the education
realm, the best way to stay informed
is to read the information generated
by various sources. Staying informed
and considering the pros and cons is
the best way to enter the debate with
a substantial base of information.
Consider reading any of the
following articles:
•
Brave New Classroom 2.0
from Britannica Online
•
Foundations of Educational and Instructional Assessment /
Technology / Web 2.0 by Darby Christian
•
Web 2.0 in the Classroom Meeting Learners in their World
by Ryan McCallum
•
Survey shows barriers to Web 2.0 in schools from eSchool
News.
The Good, the Bad, and the Technology
Next, try this activity. Make a classic two column table on a
sheet of paper. Consider working on this with another colleague
or even a parent. Write ‘Pros’ at the top of one side and ‘Cons’ at
the top of the other. Generate your own list of potential positive
and negative issues with Web 2.0. In the meantime, here are
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some general suggestions as collected from a variety of online
blogs:
Pros:
•
more opportunity for cross referencing information
increased amount of perspectives and therefore discussion
on a particular topic
•
greater access to creative/innovative ideas to build upon
allows students to employ strategies of skepticism in
considering data online
•
helps parents to stay in touch with how their children
communicate and what they view on online
•
exhibits to parents and teachers how students learn as
opposed to just what they did that day; explores the
process that students employ to learn rather than only
seeing the final product or finished test or quiz
•
learning occurs inside and outside of school; therefore
preparing students to use the available tools that will help
them to continue to absorb data and apply skills beyond
the classroom is essential to lifelong success
•
access to enhanced opportunities for diversity and
exploration of other cultural realms.
Cons:
•
students easily swayed off topic
•
distraction by off-topic content leads to wasted time
•
access to plethora of ideas makes students ‘lazy’; less
likely to access their own imaginations
•
some students might take data shared in 2.0 environments
at face value and come away with misinformation
•
substitute for face-to-face interaction; negative affect on
real world social development
•
social networking is distracting; ads are hurled at students
and teachers everywhere
•
learning objectives are blurred due to lack of a set
structure which is found in a traditional classroom
•
potential for privacy invasion
•
potential for online bullying/harassment.
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Join the Debate
Go ahead; join this debate. Your
views and experiences are very
important. No matter what your
perspective is about implementing
the Web 2.0 technologies, it is real
and it counts, and it should be
considered. Steve Hargadon hosts
the Web 2.0 is the Future of
Education blog that you might find
interesting. Classroo m 2.0 is a vast
resource that focuses specifically on
this issue. Explore this source and
join in the ongoing conversation
here as well.
Web 2.0 technologies are a very present component of the
digital world we all exist in today. In fact, whether realized and
accepted or not, the social networking applications have already
begun to transform how we implement curriculum, how we
disseminate instruction, and how learners receive and compute the
information. This debate is by no means ‘resolved’ and continues
to be a hot topic at the forefront of administrations’ agendas all
over the country (and world for that matter). However, the bottom
line is that we have 75.2 million 21st century learners in the United
States (population of children ages 0 to 17 as of 2010 according
to the U.S. Census Bureau). This group of the population will need
the tools to be able to lead our country in the global forum. We
will ultimately need to make a decision about what skills are
important for their universal success.
Reference:
The Economist Debates
http://www.economist.com/debate/days/view/127
Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University – Mediated Cultures
http://mediatedcultures.net/mediatedculture.htm
Brave New Classroom 2.0 – Britannica Online
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/10/brave-new-classroom-20-new-blog-forum/
Foundations of Educational and Instructional Assessment / Technology / Web 2.0 – Darby Christian
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Education_and_Instructional_Assessment/Technology/
Web_2.0
Web 2.0 in the Classroom Meeting Learners in their World – Ryan McCallum
http://prezi.com/obqzirjhtf-q/web-20-in-the-classroom/
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Survey shows barriers to Web 2.0 in schools – eSchool News
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/04/16/survey-shows-barriers-to-web-2-0-in-schools/
Web 2.0 is the Future of Education – Steve Hargadon
http://www.stevehargadon.com/2008/03/web-20-is-future-of-education.html
Classroom 2.0
http://www.classroom20.com
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